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Bunions
Bunions are bony lumps that form on the side of the feet. Surgery is the only way to get rid of them, but there are things you can do to ease any pain they cause.
Check if you have bunions
Symptoms of bunions include:
Hard lumps on the sides of your feet, by your big toes.
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Your big toe pointing towards your other toes.
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Hard or swollen skin. The bunion may look red or darker than the surrounding skin.
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You may also have pain along the side or bottom of your feet. This is usually worse when wearing shoes and walking.
If you're not sure it's a bunion
How to ease bunion pain yourself
You cannot get rid of bunions or stop them getting worse yourself, but there are things you can do to relieve any pain:
Do
wear wide shoes with a low heel and soft sole
hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) to the bunion for up to 5 minutes at a time
try bunion pads (soft pads you put in shoes to stop them rubbing on a bunion) – you can buy these from pharmacies
take paracetamol or ibuprofen
try to lose weight if you're overweight
Don’t
do not wear high heels or tight, pointy shoes
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
the pain has not improved after trying home treatments for a few weeks
the pain is stopping you doing your normal activities
your bunions are getting worse
you also have diabetes – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
The GP might refer you to a foot specialist (podiatrist).
You can also pay to see a foot specialist privately.
Find a podiatrist
Treatments for a bunion from a GP or podiatrist
A GP or podiatrist can advise you about:
things you can do to ease your symptoms
things you can buy or have specially made to reduce bunion pain, such as insoles (orthotics), toe spacers and toe supports (splints)
A GP may refer you to a surgeon if your bunions are very painful or having a big effect on your life.
Surgery is not done just to improve how your feet look.
Surgery for bunions
Surgery is the only way to get rid of bunions.
What happens during bunion surgery
It can take a while to recover from surgery.
You'll usually need to:
stay off your feet as much as possible for at least 2 weeks
avoid driving for 6 to 8 weeks
stay off work for 6 to 12 weeks
avoid sports for up to 6 months
After the operation:
your toes might be weaker or stiffer than before
they may not be perfectly straight
your feet might still be slightly wide, so you'll probably have to keep wearing wide, comfy shoes
Bunions sometimes come back after surgery.
You cannot always prevent bunions
The cause of bunions is unknown. It's not clear if you can do anything to prevent them.
It might help to:
make sure your shoes are the correct size and have enough room for your toes
avoid shoes with high heels or pointy toes
Page last reviewed: 24 August 2020
Next review due: 24 August 2023
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